8 Tips for Improving Your Intelligence Naturally

Have you ever wished you were smarter than you are? Many people harbor feelings of inferiority because they feel that they are less intelligent than those around them. This can lead to low self-esteem. If you wish you were smarter than you are, do not despair. There are certain measures you can take to improve your intelligence naturally.

1. Enough Rest

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to concentrate when you feel exhausted? When your brain is tired from lack of sleep, it can be difficult to concentrate and reason logically. Research results indicate that being overtired actually knocks a couple of points off your IQ. Hence you should make sure you get at least eight hours sleep each night if you want to maximize your intelligence. You can regulate your sleeping pattern by going to bed at exactly the same time each night, and setting your alarm clock for the same time each morning.

2. Turn Your TV Off

All over the world, people unwind after work by turning on their TV set and vegetating on the couch. Watching a great deal of television does not do much to improve your intelligence. When a person watches television, they are passive. TV also has a hypnotic effect, so it’s easy for the media to control how you think if you watch it frequently.

If you would like to be able to think critically, it is a good idea to switch the television off. When you want to relax, try to find other things to do which don’t involve watching television. Play a mentally challenging game, complete a puzzle, read a good book, or spend time conversing with your loved ones. If you must watch television, stick to thought provoking documentaries and intelligent movies.

3. Learn to Listen

When you spend time chatting to friends, colleagues and loved ones, take the time to listen to their opinions. During supposedly meaningful conversations, people often try to convey their own opinion and convince others that they are right. If you want to improve your intelligence, do not focus on getting your own point across during such conversations. Instead, concentrate on listening to other peoples’ opinions. Take the time to consider why the other person thinks and feels the way they do. Taking other people’s opinions on board will open your mind. It will also force you to reevaluate your own thoughts and opinions.

4. Reading

People often assume that reading a lot of books will improve their intelligence, but this is not always the case. Reading can only improve your intelligence if you choose books that challenge you. Low-brow popular fiction may be entertaining, but it has very little educational value. Instead of reading popular fiction, try reading classics and interesting non-fiction. If you find a book difficult to comprehend, reread the passages that confuse you. You may also find it useful to look up unknown words in a dictionary. By reading better books, you will increase your vocabulary, improve your grammar, and broaden your mind.

5. Puzzles and Games

If you do not stimulate your brain, your intelligence will deteriorate. It is therefore a good idea to play games and complete puzzles that force you to think. Strategy games are great for improving the intelligence. Chess and Scrabble are also terrific games for those who wish to exercise their brain. Completing crosswords and Sudoku puzzles is beneficial too.

6. Time to Reflect

It can be difficult to find the time to be alone with your thoughts. Most people have packed schedules, so spare time is considered a luxury. If you want to improve your intelligence, you must make time to reflect on the things you have learned. That doesn’t mean you have to sit on the sofa and do nothing but think. You can spend time thinking and reflecting while doing monotonous chores. For example, you can spend time with your thoughts while gardening, painting, exercising, ironing, or washing the floor.

7. Diet and Exercise

A good diet and regular exercise can do much to improve a person’s intelligence. Regular exercise provides time to think. It also clears the mind, improves focus and provides energy. Your diet also has an impact on your intelligence. If you want to improve your reasoning skills, make sure you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that contains enough complex carbohydrates and protein. The brain is largely comprised of essential fatty acids, so try to eat more oily fish if you want to improve the connection between neurons.
If you want to become smarter, you should consider taking certain health supplements. Nutritional supplements such as choline, fish oil, DHA, DMAE, CoQ10, ginseng, vitamin B12, ginkgo biloba and folic acid are thought to improve brain function. You can buy these supplements at most drug stores. They are also available at several ecommerce stores. If you shop around for your supplements, you will increase the probability of finding discounts and special offers.

8. No Drugs

It’s no coincidence that many people use the word “dope” to describe illicit drugs. Introducing potentially harmful chemicals to your brain and the rest of your body is never a good idea. When a person is high on illicit drugs, they lose the capacity to think clearly and logically. The same thing happens when a person consumes an excessive amount of alcohol. If you want to think rationally and concisely, keep your mind clear.